Engwe P26 Hybrid City E-Bike Review vs ADO D30C

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Engwe has mainly specialised in foldable electric bikes in recent years. I have previously reviewed the Engwe Engine Pro and the Engwe C20 Pro, being impressed with both bikes.

They are now expanding the product range with the M20 full shock mountain motor e-bike that has a 750W motor cable of 1000w peak and a maximum speed of 28MPH (45 KPH). It can handle 10° inclines, and there is an option for a dual battery which can provide up to 150km range.

They have also launched the more sensible Engwe P26, which is their first hybrid bike. This is road legal in the UK, having a 250W motor and at the time of writing, it is available to buy for £1,049.

I have previously reviewed two hybrid e-bikes, the ADO D30C and Eleglide T1 Step Through. I think the Engwe P26 is an excellent alternative to the ADO.

Specification

UK Road Legality & How to Enable the Throttle

All of the Engwe e-bikes I have reviewed have arrived as road legal for the UK.

The bikes shipped to the UK and EU all come with a 250W motor, whereas the US model is sold with a 500W motor.

The UK/EU models have a throttle built in, but this is disabled as standard, and the speed is limited to 25km/h (15.5mph).

It is possible to remove the speed limitation and enable the throttle. You should only do this if you plan to use the bike on private property/off-road.

To enable the throttle and adjust the speed limit, do the following:

1. Rotate the throttle to max
2. Press and hold the brakes
3. Press the Power button to turn on the bike
4. Hold on to the brakes and throttle, Wait for 10 seconds.
5. Release the brakes and throttle
6. Press BOTH the PLUS & MINUS buttons to get into setting mode
7. Use the PLUS & MINUS buttons and top side button to enter the passcode  (it looks like it’s 1818)
8. Press & hold top side button and MINUS until the word “Ld” starts  to blink
9. Press MINUS once, and the screen now reads LS, you are now in the speed limit settings
10. Use PLUS & MINUS button to set the speed limit
11. Press & hold the top side button TWICE to save the settings and exit.

Build

In theory, this should have been an easy build, there is not much to do, and the instructions are clear enough. The bike is also well-made, so there were not really any issues here.

However, there were some issues setting it up.

You need to rotate the handlebar stem around and align it with the wheel, then use the Allen key to tighten it and fix it in place. During my initial set-up, no matter how much I tried to tighten the stem, it would still be loose enough that the handlebars and front week would come easily out of alignment.

Eventually, I removed the handlebars completely and pulled out the entire front stem and reaffixed and aligned the bolt it attached to. Then when I re-inserted the stem and tightened it, I was eventually able to get it tightened properly. Even in this scenario, I had to find an extra-long Allen key, so I could apply enough force to tighten it properly.

Then, with the mudguards on the front, the Allen key bolts were over-tightened, so it required a lot of force to unscrew them.

This bike has only recently been announced, and I suspect both of these problems are teething issues with the initial pre-assembly.

There were a couple of other minor issues which are common with e-bikes.

When fitting the front wheel, you need to make sure all the washers are on the outside; there is one washer that has a little hook that inserts into a hole in the fork. The bolts then need to be tightened with even force, or you may find that the disk brake rubs against the brake pad. You can open up the brake pads a little using the Allen bolt on the side of the brake.

The mudguard also fits quite closely with the front tyre, which is good for reducing splashback from a wet surface, but you may need to fiddle with it as it can catch on the tyre while riding.

Apart from my issue with fixing the front stem in place, all the above problems are easy to fix and just need a little bit of common sense. The front stem was also an easy fix, but it just took a bit longer to work out. If it wasn’t for that, this would have been a quick and easy build.

Rider Height

Engwe is very optimistic about who this is suitable for, claiming you can be from 5ft (152cm) to 6ft 8 inches (210cm).

I am 6ft 1, and the bike feels too small for me. With the seat height at its maximum, I get nowhere near a full range of motion with my peddling, which I find to be an awkward experience.

I think the bike would have been improved if the seat post was longer and therefore provided a wider range of adjustment.

I’d say it is no worse than any of the foldable e-bikes I have reviewed, but I think with those, there is a certain expectation that they are going to feel a bit small and cramped.

Depending on how you plan to ride the bike, you may not have an issue. If you only want to peddle lightly, relying on power assist or predominantly use the throttle, then the riding position is perfectly adequate for my height and likely riders even taller.

Ride Experience

Even though I found the bike a little small for my long legs, the overall ride experience was good. In particular, I found it to be a smooth and quiet ride.

The geometry of the bike has the handlebars quite high in comparison to the seat, and this gives you a comfortable sitting-up riding position which is great for city bikes as it provides a comfortable riding position.

Similar to most of the other bikes I have reviewed, this uses a speed sensor rather than torque. It is not ideal but it works well.

The Shimano Tourney 7-speed gear system is probably the most common gear system for these affordable Chinese E-bikes. Like all other bikes that use this, it works OK, providing basic gearing, but the 9-speed Shimano Altus on the ADO D30C was far superior if you want to be able to provide more peddle power.

The front suspension fork is adjustable, and I personally prefer to have it locked when I am riding on roads, but it provides a good level of absorption for any bumps when unlocked.

The motor has a 40Nm torque, and I found that it was good for moderate inclines, but steeper inclines will require a bit more peddling power. The ADO D30C wasn’t much better, with a torque of 42Nm, I think the ADO was better on hills due to the superior Altus gears. The Eleglide T1 Step Through had an excellent 50Nm torque, but in hindsight, I am a little sceptical, I don’t remember it being that much better than this.

The lights work well, and the rear light is wired, so you don’t have to worry about switching it on.

Battery / Range

Engwe provides specific ranges for the bike in different modes and gears

Electric mode (KM): 65km at full speed in 5th gear

• 1st gear: 78km
• 2nd gear: 74km
• 3rd gear: 70km
• 4th gear: 68km

Maximum with pas mode (KM): 70km at full speed in 5th gear with power

• 1st gear: 100km
• 2nd gear: 90km
• 3rd gear: 80km
• 4th gear: 75km

Obviously, the above figure will depend on the terrain you ride and the weather (it’s windy where I live).

I covered about 20 miles (32km) where I live before I put the bike back on charge, and the battery was still at about half. I always peddle, but I have the power assist at maximum.

This has a removable battery that requires a key to remove it, which allows you to remove the battery and charge it indoors if you cycle to work. It will also make replacing the battery much easier, should you need.

Price and Alternative Options

The Engwe P26 has an RRP of £1,199, and at the time of writing, it has been discounted to £1,049.

The Eleglide T1 Step Through is a good alternative priced at £900. It is a step-through design which makes it convenient for people with mobility issues and is often popular with women. It has the same range, also includes a rear pannier rack and has adjustable front handles. It weighs about the same at 26KG. You can also optionally fit the throttle that’s included in the pack.

The Elglide T1 has a geometry that’s more similar to the P26, and this is priced at £800, the rest of the spec is the same as the step-through model.

ADO have the Dece 300C (ADO D30C), which is 21kg and has 9-speed Shimano gears. It doesn’t come with a throttle as standard, but you can buy one. Looking at my review, I also found this to be a little small for me, and they also claim a rider height of up to 6ft 6 (200cm). This is priced quite a bit higher at £ 1,369 RRP or £1299 at the time of writing.

Overall

I think the Engwe P26 is a good hybrid e-bike and certainly an excellent first attempt from Engwe.

I’d say this makes an excellent and affordable alternative to the ADO D30C.

Due to the lower price, it is hard to ignore the Eleglide T1, I think the overall build and performance from the Engwe feels better, but I am not sure if it is £150+ better.

James Smythe( Editor-in-chief )

I am James, a UK-based tech enthusiast and the Editor and Owner of Mighty Gadget, which I’ve proudly run since 2007. Passionate about all things technology, my expertise spans from computers and networking to mobile, wearables, and smart home devices.

As a fitness fanatic who loves running and cycling, I also have a keen interest in fitness-related technology, and I take every opportunity to cover this niche on my blog. My diverse interests allow me to bring a unique perspective to tech blogging, merging lifestyle, fitness, and the latest tech trends.

In my academic pursuits, I earned a BSc in Information Systems Design from UCLAN, before advancing my learning with a Master’s Degree in Computing. This advanced study also included Cisco CCNA accreditation, further demonstrating my commitment to understanding and staying ahead of the technology curve.

I’m proud to share that Vuelio has consistently ranked Mighty Gadget as one of the top technology blogs in the UK. With my dedication to technology and drive to share my insights, I aim to continue providing my readers with engaging and informative content.